I thought about doing this but decided on going with all new. It was more expensive to do so - but I didn't want any disappointment in things not matching. I didn't want to keep the same species, and would have had to do not just new doors, but cover all the faces and ends.
It may not be a big deal if you used the exact same wood species as you have now. One thing you'd have to be very careful about is that cherry, and I know there are others, will darken over time. So if you have one of those types of wood now, your new cabinetry and doors would be lighter for some time than your old - and if you stained them to match the old, then in time they'll be darker than the older cabinets!
I had white with my last house and refaced them to wood. They were just plain slab and I not only wanted stained, but a more interesting design than slab. I never regretted it. That said, there are some drop dead gorgeous white kitchens here that might just change your mind! I know they changed my mind, but my DH wouldn't consider painted cabinets. To each his own I guess.

Someone did just that in my ex-kitchen about 25 years ago. They added a few new cabinets and refaced the original cabinets. New doors, pink floors and Corian, and voila! New kitchen! You could tell the new from the old on the inside but not the outside.

Find a refacing company that also does new cabinets. I bet many do.

It might be cheaper to do all new.

I know this isn't what your question is, but I think this is something to consider.

++++++++++

Before you reface, ask yourself...is it worth it?

• Is this for you or for resale?

• Are the cabinet carcasses/boxes in good shape?

• Is your layout functional and does it work very well for you?

• Are you planning to put in an expensive countertop (like granite, soapstone, or quartz)?

• Are you planning to replace old shelves w/pullouts or put in other cabinet/drawer organizers?

If resale, then as long as it's cheaper to do it than replacing with new (it isn't always, btw), then go ahead...just make sure the refacing is done well enough to be an asset to the sale and will pass a home inspection.

If the boxes are not in good shape, then I'm not sure it would be worth it to spend quite a bit of money refacing all the original, buying new, and replacing all your doors.

If your layout functions great for you, that's good. However, if there are issues w/your kitchen's functionality do you want to spend that $$$ to get just what you had before? [Functional issues could include things like lack of adequate workspace in the right places, lack of landing space around appliances or sink, barrier island, narrow aisles, aisles that are too wide, traffic problems, appliance/workspace conflicts, unusual appliance sizes, appliance locations, etc.]

If you're planning an expensive countertop like granite, soapstone, or quartz, realize that the countertop will likely last 10, 15, or more years...will the old cabinet boxes last that long? While it is possible to remove the counters, replace cabinets, and then put the counters back on, it's not easy and not always possible. Everything pretty much has to be exactly the same b/w the old & new...and that would mean little, if any layout changes even then. You also run the risk of damaging the countertop during removal & storage.

If you're planning to add things to your existing cabinets like roll out trays/pullout shelves, "fancy" organizers, etc. then the overall cost might be the same or less to just replace them w/cabinets that already have those items.

So, is it worth it? Do you think it would be better to live with what you have now and save until you can do more?

If it's just the color (white) that you can't stand, how about painting what you have now? You could always paint them green, blue, dark brown, black, etc. Add decorative hardware to break up the slab look (think IglooChic's cabinet hardware!) Maybe add some inexpensive shelving where the new cabinet run is planned and maybe a rolling/portable island that can be used elsewhere later.

Have you looked at Ikea? They're rated highly by Consumer Reports & many people here. If you don't like the doors, doors can be purchased separately. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if Ikea cabinets were less expensive than refacing your current ones!

So, is it worth it? I recommend you find out what it would cost...

Good timing :) We did an "out of pocket" remodel in 02. The cabinets did not get updated. Now they have granite tiles on them. They're not going anywhere without having to sacrifice the granite. DH came up with the idea to tear out the uppers and replace them. Then reface the lowers to match the new uppers. Our boxes are in great shape. It's just a cosmetic thing and the drawers after 28 years. We have no plans on ever moving. I didn't think there would be a problem with doing that.
Monica